Is Germany Going To Arrest Bruce Springsteen For His Anti-Trump 'Hate' Speech?

In February, CBS's "60 Minutes" ran a glowing review of Germany cracking down on freedom of speech by conducting police raids on those suspected of expressing hate online or in public.

The fact that "60 Minutes," an American-based news program, celebrated Germany's efforts was appalling. Of all CBS News' recent blunders, supporting a crackdown on free speech in a Western nation is its most egregious.

That said, if Germany is going to arrest people for "hate" speech, it should at least be consistent.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Bruce Springsteen performs during the first night of 'The Land of Hopes and Dreams' tour at Co-op Live on May 14, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images)

Last week, rock star Bruce Springsteen paused his concert in Berlin to address President Donald Trump. Here's what he had to say:

"Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices, stand with us against authoritarianism, and let freedom reign.

"The America that I love, the America that I’ve sung to you about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration."

Corrupt, incompetent and treasonous. Sounds pretty hateful, no? 

According to "60 Minutes," Germany differentiates "hate" from "criticism" based on whether the remarks "contribute to a discussion." It's hard to argue Springsteen "contributed" much to the conversation by telling his fans that Trump is an evil dictator, which is fundamentally not the case.

So, when is Germany going to raid Springsteen's hotel and put him in cuffs?

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Bruce Springsteen performs during the first night of his 'The Land of Hopes and Dreams' tour at Co-op Live on May 14, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images)

Of course, we are being facetious. 

At its core, OutKick stands for nothing more than it stands for free speech. Personally, I've defended some of the most abhorrent speech--including bigotry from the likes of Taylor Lorenz, Kanye West and Ivy League college students--because of the importance of the principle.

As I often say, the answer to hate speech is not less speech. The answer to hate speech is more speech. People with truly destructive thoughts will eventually convict themselves, if you let them. 

So, let them.

And eventually, the rabbit will take control of the gun, and your political opposition will hold the power your side abused.

What Germany is doing is dangerous. The fact that the government could have actually arrested Springsteen over his comments underscores that.  While Springsteen is just another uniformed celebrity with wacky pollical beliefs, we support his right to express those beliefs.

We are different than "60 Minutes" in that way.